Atkin Chambers - True Picture

Atkin Chambers pupillage review 2026

The Chambers

Some might choose to chase trends. But over 60 years ago Atkin found its calling and today “we’re leaders in a relatively niche field; we’re a construction, engineering and international arbitration specialist set,” senior clerk Justin Wilson tells us, with a particular focus on “professional negligence, energy, information technology, and general commercial work.”

Our colleagues over at the Chambers UK Bar award Atkin top marks in construction and international arbitration: construction/engineering, alongside strong rankings in areas like energy and naturalresources and IT. Something that shone through interviews and open days for aspiring members was that “all members are friendly, enthusiastic and genuinely interested in what we do. There is unlimited potential to do the most interesting, high-value and international work – your career is your own.”

Case in point, on the international stage, Manus McMullan KC - alongside Chris Lewis KC and Peter Land - acted on behalf of the Panama Canal Authority in relation to numerous disputes and arbitrations, having successfully defended more than $6.5 billion in claims. “The international work is as important as ever,” Wilson highlights, “We’re starting to do more work in less traditional markets for us, such as Australia and India – another area with lots of internal and external infrastructure projects. Still, the Far East, Middle East and the Commonwealth countries continue to be very important.”

At home “there are lots of interesting cases coming out of the London and the UK” too, Wilson highlights. These include high-profile cases involving the Channel Tunnel, the Olympic Village, Wembley Stadium and the M25. He expands: “Post-Grenfell work has formed a large part of members’ practices with the Building Safety Act.” For example, Stephanie Barwise KC represented a group of core participants (including survivors, bereaved relatives and former residents) in the subsequent public inquiry. With a recent Supreme Court ruling, Wilson tells us, “many of these cases which have been on hold are starting to commence” too.

“We sit down with them the minute they become a tenant to talk about their aspirations and how we can work together to achieve them.”

While “not everyone wants to work on international cases; it's about getting that balance,” Wilson acknowledges: “We sit down with them the minute they become a tenant to talk about their aspirations and how we can work together to achieve them.” As one junior put it: “It’s telling those who join: don’t move to other sets!” In fact, the majority of members at the set did their pupillage at Atkin.

The Pupillage Experience

Pupillage at Atkin consists of three seats, each with a different supervisor: two three-month seats and then a final six-month stint which is non-practising. Pupils receive a combination of live and dead work: “They will give you different pieces of work to make sure you tick all the boxes, and develop the skills that you need,” a junior highlighted. To give a fair balance of what is on offer, supervisors have varying focuses within the construction realm. “As we’re so specialised, we’re looking for that in-depth training,” head of pupillage committee Jennifer Jones KC explains: “Amongst the senior juniors (the supervisors) there is a wide range of work. For example, some do more international work, some more court work, some more led work and others do more on their own account.”

Pupils complete work alongside their supervisors. “It’s a steep learning curve – the first few months are about getting your bearings. We’re conscious about not overburdening pupils, so you might have a carved-out, self-contained issue to begin with,” a junior explained. From discrete research notes to drafting advice, skeleton arguments and pleadings, this continues throughout, alongside assisting with prep for mediations and trials at the Technology and Construction Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal, for example.

“…an opening draft I did was close to a hundred pages and the contract itself was ten lever arch files!”

As pupils progress, typically, “you move onto more legally complex and a higher volume of documentation,” one recalled; “an opening draft I did was close to a hundred pages and the contract itself was ten lever arch files!” With lots of professional negligence claims, a pupil described working on “building safety work related to cladding and fire safety disputes in apartments, student accommodation and hotels, some ultra-high-value domestic property disputes (which involved some international elements), and energy work related to power stations.”

As for the hours? Although certain pieces of work might require longer hours, interviewees confirmed that “generally it’s expected that you work 9am to 6pm – and 99% of the time that is all you do.”

Throughout, pupils receive feedback from their supervisors, each of whom produce a report on their performance contributing to the tenancy decision. While there is no formal grace period, Jones highlights that “we all understand that it’s a learning process, they’re expected to make mistakes; we care that their learning and that their performance is improving.” As such, pupils are assigned one mock written piece and three advocacy exercises too – although the very last advocacy exercise is assessed, usually in front of a current or retired judge! Previously it has been hosted in the Rolls Building in front of Lord Justice Fraser “to give as realistic as possible an advocacy experience,” a junior added.

The majority of assessments begin around the nine-month mark. Over a five-week period, pupils complete panel work set by various members “from junior juniors, senior juniors and silks – the whole process is to mimic actual practice.” Preparing for this moment, usually it’s an advice or pleading, “some of which are extremely recent, hot topics. It’s pretty challenging but you learn an enormous amount in a short time,” a pupil shared. A report on each piece is then sent to the pupillage and recruitment committee. Finally, pupils complete an anonymised test paper – “a set legal problem that is particularly complex with a number of different issues” from the committee themselves.

The whole package is then taken into consideration by the pupillage and recruitment committee “before making a recommendation,” Jones outlines: “Our policy has always been if someone meets the standards, we will offer them tenancy.” While “there is a chambers vote, the reality is that the recommendation of the pupillage committee will usually be followed.”

“…there is the sense from all levels of seniority that people are interested in your opinions.”

“People are really friendly and helpful, they offer you a lot of advice,” one junior told us; “there is the sense from all levels of seniority that people are interested in your opinions.” All members of chambers have their own room and pupils sit with their supervisors too: “People’s doors are always open, literally or metaphorically depending on where they work! It’s a supportive building.” Another highlighted that “there is a collaborative approach to get your name out there, particularly as a junior member of chambers. The clerks constantly invite you to events, set up talks and webinars for you – so they have an opportunity to see you in action as well.” As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work.

There is room for members to down tools and unwind too, the highlight being the daily afternoon chambers tea: “It’s a nice way to see people and catch up, it keeps that social element alive.” There are also weekly drinks, a monthly catered lunch, a formal dinner in the autumn to welcome new tenants and pupils, and Christmas and summer parties. People also bond over various interests from running to music.

The Application Process

Atkin follows the Pupillage Gateway timetable but accepts applications directly – via a CV and covering letter. At least two members of the pupillage committee review these forms and meet to cross-check their conclusions.

So, what are they looking for? Well, candidates who meet the seven main criteria: understanding and use of the law; written work; oral advocacy; integrity; working with others; diversity; and commitment to practice in Chambers. “We are interested in whether or not they are interested and have a commitment to a career at the construction bar,” Jones emphasises, “Construction is specialist, so not every candidate has experience in our kind of work, but we want to see that interest in the work that we do.”

“…construction is specialist, so not every candidate has experience in our kind of work, but we want to see that interest in the work that we do.”

From the paper sift, around 30 applicants are invited to the first-round interview. Candidates here are given 30 minutes to prepare a proposition of general interest to argue for or against. “It might have a legal element to it, but it won’t be a law question,” Jones details; “for example, this year it was about using AI in dispute resolution.” The second half of the interview is based on CV-related questions. “I got the sense that people were interested in what you had to say. I thought the process was quite personal, a lot of the questions were tailored towards me,” one pupil recalled.

Finally, around ten candidates progress to a second-round interview. They receive papers one week in advance to prepare a short skeleton argument and then present their argument in front of the panel. The second stage is an unseen topic: “It’s meant to be challenging because we want to see how they think under pressure – it’s always really interesting how they come up with things we haven’t,” Jones tells us.

Forming no part of the application process, second-round interview candidates are also invited to spend time at Atkin to meet other members and clerks “to ask any questions they might have, and to give them a better idea of who we are and what we do.”